Roller accessory for a tricycle



y 12, 1959 E. F. PAZIK Y 2,886,343

ROLLER ACCESSORY FOR A TRICYCLE Filed Jul 25, 1957 J INVENTOR.

EDWARD E PA Z/K ,arrakn/e Y llnited States Patent ROLLER ACCESSORY FOR ATRICYCLE Edward F. Pazik, Detroit, Mich.

Application July 25, 1957, Serial No. 674,180

2 Claims. (Cl. 280-289) The invention pertains to tricycles forchildren, and consists of a bracket supporting a roller, the bracketbeing adapted to be mounted removably on a horizontal member of thetricycle, located between the two rear wheels thereof.

It has been the observation of the applicant that when two or morechildren are mounted on their individual tricycles, they like to formthemselves into a sort of a train, wherein the front wheel of onetricycle will bear contact with the roller, the outer surface of theroller from the rear against said horizontal platform of the tricycle infront. When the tricycles are put in motion, said front wheels, that isthe tires of the front wheels, will, in the course of the rotation ofsaid wheels, rub against the horizontal platforms in front thereof. Thiscontributes to the wear of the tires, and because of the frictionagainst said platform makes the driving of a respective tricycle, backof the platform, so much more difficult.

In view of the above, I have devised my roller accessory, which may beeasily and quickly attached to a tricycle in a position where the fronttire of a following tricycle will be in contact with a roller on theleading tricycle. This will eliminate friction and will make the drivingof the tricycle back of the platform on which the accessory is mountedso much easier.

Another object of my invention was to provide an accessory which may bemounted upon a tricycle without the use of any tools or equipment, butwhich will be fully practical and useful.

I shall now describe my invention with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top elevational view of my roller accessory;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the accessory as mounted upon a platformbetween the two rear ground wheels of a tricycle;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified roller accessory in itsmounted position on a tricycle.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The accessory includes a bracket generally identified by numeral 10. Itconsists of two side plates 11, each of which is substantiallytriangular, the base of each plate being defined by a straight line 12,but including at what is the rear end of the plate, a downwardlyextending hook 13, including a claw 14 turned forwardly.

Each plate contains two holes, one, 15, serving for reception of a bolt16, by means of which the two plates are held together in a spacedparallel relation to each other. The outer ends of the bolt are threadedfor reception of nuts. The other hole 18 in each plate 11, serves forreception of a shaft 19 on which, mounted axially, is a roller 20. Theroller, which may be made of wood or a plastic material, is bestprovided with a core 21, which may be made of any suitable substance,such as metal. The shaft 19, projects at each end outwardly of therespective plate 11, and is equipped at each end with a retaining nut22.

is concave, being curved inwardly towards the axis of said roller, asbest shown in Fig. 1.

Connected to the bolt 16, midway its length, is one end of a coil spring23, its other end being connected to a sheet metal hook including aforked end portion looped upon itself in a hair-pin turn to form a claw25.

The manner in which the accessory may be installed upon a tricycle isshown in Fig. 3 in which numeral 30 shows the rear axle for support oftwo ground wheesl 31, while numeral 26 indicates a horizontal platformdisposed between said two ground wheels and supported by said rear axle.The platform provides suflicient space for a child to stand back of thedrive of the vehicle, who occupies a saddle which is not shown, butwhich is located forwardly of said platform.

It will be noted that the platform includes a downwardly turned flange27 at the rear, and a similar flange 28 at the front.

The bracket 10 supporting the roller 20 is mounted on the platformmidway its length in such a manner that the claws 14 of the hooks 13will grasp the rear flange of the platform from below, while the roller20 will be in a position above said platform and slightly rearwardlythereof. Thereupon the hook 24 is applied to the front flange 28 in sucha manner that the claw 25 will engage the flange from below. The coiledspring 23 will exert a pull on the two hooks 13 of the bracket from oneend, and on the hook 24 from the opposite end, thus keeping the bracketin place.

A modified roller accessory is shown in Fig. 4. In this case, thebracket 40 has the form of a vertically disposed letter U, and issecured to the platform 26 by means of screws 41. The arms 42 of thebracket extend upwardly from the platform and support a roller 43, whichis adapted for rotation on a horizontal shaft journalled at its ends insaid arms. The outer ends of the shaft are threaded for reception ofretaining nuts 44.

After having described my invention, I wish to present the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. In a tricycle having a horizontal rear platform spaced from theground, a roller accessory including a bracket having two upwardlyturned arms, a roller mounted therebetween for rotation about its axisand in the plane at right angle to said platform, hook means on thebracket for engagement with the platform from the rear, a hook adaptedto engage the platform from the front, and a coiled spring connectingsaid last named hook to the front end of the bracket to keep said hookunder the tension of the spring, the roller being held rearwardly of theplatform.

2. In a tricycle having two parallel rear wheels, and a horizontal rearplatform spaced from the ground and disposed between said wheels, theplatform being provided with a front rim portion and a rear rim portion,an accessory for use with a rear platform of a tricycle, the accessoryforming a bracket including two upright members, a transverse shaftjoining said members in spaced relation to each other, a roller providedwith a concave outer surface, mounted axially on the shaft for rotationthereon in a plane parallel to the planes of rotation of the wheels, oneend of the bracket being connected to the rear portion of the platform,the other end of the bracket being connected by intermediate resilientmeans to the front rim portion of the platform, the bracket serving tohold the roller rearwardly of the platform.

(References on following page) References Cit ed'in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kelley Feb, 23, 1904 Miller Sept. 2; 1930Jhnstone Oct. 24, 1939 4 Rogers Sept. 13, 1949 Edwards Aug. 22, 1950Guenther Feb. 20, 1951 Ewers Mar. 3, 1953 Smith Nov. 27, 1956

